John h



J. M; AHLGFIEN.

METHOD 0F FORMING STORAGE BATTERY CONTAINERS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2,19I8.

1,306,679. Patentedlune 17, 1919. n.1. J4 ii 9 ,o li f i I I m f \s\ \f M m w \n\ \I i 74% m N /f r3.3. 6 FE-l IMI,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M'. AHLGREN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

METHQD 0F FQRMING- STORAGE-BATTERY CONTAINERS.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented J 1111 17, 1919.

Application led March 2, 1918. Serial No. 220,102.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN M. AHLGREN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, Marion county, and State of i. Indiana, have invented and discovered certain new and useful Improvements inV Methods of Forming Storage-Battery Containers, of which the following is a speciication.

. My invention relates to methods of forming storage battery containers and the object ofthe invention is to provide a process whereby a container adapted to constitute the receptaclev for the battery plates and acid as well as the exterior holder in which the cells are supported and carried may be formed in a single piece with an impervious acid resistant lining incorporated with thel body of said container. p

Nith this object in view my invention isy embodied in preferable form in the steps hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings illustrate apparatus whereby the method may be carried out. In theseJ drawings Figure l, is a vertical section of a mold press for forming the lining abovei'eferred to; Fig. 2, a similar view of the press in which the completed container with the lining applied theretor is formed; Fig. 3, a vertical section of the lining, and Fig.- 4f, a vertical cross sectional viewof the completed container which is the Vproduct of the process.

The container to be formed, as shown in Fig. 4, comprises said bottom and end walls constituting an exterior body 1, integral cross partitions 2 forming in conjunction with the side and end walls cells for the reception of the battery plates and liquid and bottom longitudinal ribs 3 integral with the bottom and constituting supports for the plates and separators. The lining for the interior surfaces of this container is indicated at 6. Referring lto the apparatus, 7 indicates a tank constituting one die ele ment of the linin forming mold. vThis. vtank is adapted to be filled with a composition from which the linin is to be formed. Such composition is in fluid condition and consists preferably of the constitutents employed to form Celluloid, together with elements adapted to serve as a binder and acid neutralizer, as elements capable, of imparting toughness to the material so as to render it'capable ,of being drawn, and also elements .form when dried. This material may be which serve to retain the completed body in pliable condition. A composition which has been found suitable for embodying the above characteristics` is as follows To make )one gallon of Vthe compound take 60 twenty-three ounces of soluble gun cotton, five pounds of gum camphor, five ounces of paragoric, two pounds of gum chicle and live ounces of banana oil. The gun cotton and camphor are dissolved in equal parts of alcohol and ether sufiicient to dissolve gun cotton and camphor. The paregoric serves top'll the pores of the lining after the evaporation of the alcohol and ether. rEhe gum chicle adds body and toughness to the composition also enabling it to be more readily drawn in the molding process while the banana oil causes the material to flow readily. and to prevent undue adhesiveness of the composition. The paregoric and banana oil 7 5 perform their respective functions Without adding any ingredient to the composition which is liable to be attacked by the acid of the electrolyte. The composition is heatedn to maintain it in liquid condition and after it has been poured into the tank, a die plunger 8 having the outline of the" liningV to be formed is forced into the mass. The projecting mold .members adapted to .form the spaces between' the walls and partitions are 85 made hollow and lreceive heat from heaters 9, which may be supplied from a source of gas or other source of heat supply, forthe purpose of keeping the body of material in a semi-fluid condition and enabling 1 t to be formed and drawn. The plunger die being forced into the mold tank, forms the lining into the-'required shape and after the same has been permitted to set suiiiciently, the plunger is withdrawn, and the eJectors 10 are forced up so as to raise the formed linin and permit it to be removed. y

his body is then placed in a hollow mold Vl1 having the shape of the container to be formed. The material adapted to constitute the body of the container is of suitable y fibrous material capable of being reduced to a pulp like condition by the addition of liquid and adapted to harden into rigid mg papier-mche or other suitable ibrousniaterial. This composition in pulpy condition is forced into the mold 12 through the feed openings 13, and at the same time anleitpressing and compacting plunger L3 is 110 forced down into the mold, whereupon the mass will be forced into the lining which is held within the hollow members of the mold. The pressure of the plastic mass against the lining which may be permitted to retain part of its softened condition, drives the pulp into the lining and effects a close adherence between the material of the body and said lining. After the mass has dried sufficiently to permit its removal the lined container is then removed by ejectors 14, and the completed article dried in an oven or by other suitable means, whereby `a. complete container provided with an acid proof, heat resisting, pliable lining and' having compartments adapted to directly receive the b-attery plate and acid, is provided. This container may be provided with handles l5, whereby it may be lifted like an ordinary batter boX, and any suitable cover may be provi ed. A composition the same as or similar to that of the lining may be applied to the exterior of the container by a brush.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is 1. The method of forming astorage battery container which consists in forcing together a fibrous material while in a soft condition against a body of material adapted to constitute a protective lining, to adhere the two bodies, the said fibrous mate rial beingat the same time formed into the shape of the container with integral walls and interior cross partitions.

2. The method of forming' a'storage battery container which consists in forming a mass of fibrous material into the shape of the container and at the same time pressing it against a body of material adapted to constitute a protective lining, to adhere the bodies, fibrous material being shaped to form the walls and integral cross partitions of the container during the forming and pressing steps.

3. The method of forming a storage battery container which consists in forming a lining having the outline of the container to be made, and then pressing while in a soft condition a mass of fibrous material medeveadapted ,to constitute the'body of the container against said lining, and then drying the completed article.

4. The method of forming a storage battery container which consists in forming in a mold a lining of pliable, acid and heat resistant material,A and removing said lining, applying it to a hollow mold and forcing a mass of fibrous material While in a soft con'- dition against the said lining, removing the 'the adherence of the two materials.

6. The method of forming an integral storage battery container having compartments which consists in forming a celluloid like composition having acid resisting and plia'bility maintaining elements while in a soft condition, into a body of the shape of the container, Aunder the application of the heat, removing said body and applying it to a mold and expressing against said body a mass of pulpy fibrous material to form the outer body of the container, removing the molded article and drying it, and coating the exterior of the container with material similar to that of the lining.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana,

this Lith day of February, A. D.- nineteen hundred and eighteen. y

JOHN M. AHLGrR-EN. [L 5.] Witnesses: i

H. P. DooLITTLE, M. L. SHULER. 

